


Meeting Credence

by nerdygaycas



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies), Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Cute, First Meetings, M/M, no grindelwald here
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-24
Updated: 2016-11-24
Packaged: 2018-09-01 20:17:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,146
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8636737
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nerdygaycas/pseuds/nerdygaycas
Summary: Percival Graves meets Credence for the first time after Tina asks him to keep an eye on the boy.





	

**Author's Note:**

> There is no Grindelwald here, just your regular Graves cutie

Percival Graves was not a people person. He didn’t like giving too much of himself for others to see, so he was quite reserved and in consequence very few comrades at work knew him for any other than a powerful wizard with great expertise and a shrewd, capable mind.

After Goldstein was demoted from her charge she had come to Graves in private to ask something of him. _It’s nothing urgent_ , she’d said, but there was a worrisome plead staining her voice all the same.

And so, the auror had started taking a longer route to his apartment. He didn’t mind much the extra walking as the days got colder, in fact he relished in the prickly icy sensation that licked at his skin with every gust of wind. Percival Graves would observe no-majs with a keen eye, trying to perceive any irregularity but it wasn’t an easy task, and so he would hang about waiting for the Barebones to make an appeareance: pale, thin children handing out pamphlets on a lost cause.

That first day he saw him briefly, Credence Barebone. His shoulders hunched, his pace unsteady, trailing rapidly behind his adoptive mother, not once taking his eyes off the ground.

The Barebones were a strange bunch, Graves admitted to himself, but there was something about the boy, something he couldn’t quite put his finger on.

Graves tried to recall Goldstein’s words. _A kind, scared and broken child_ , she had said. Yes, Credence Barebone was all that, and for some reason, Graves felt responsible for him. He knew little else about Credence or his family, but there must’ve been a reason why Tina risked -and lost- so much for him.

Percival Graves stood up and continued his walk home, hands in his pockets, wondering what the best way to approach the boy was.

 

Four days passed until Graves went back to check on the Barebone boy. He wasn’t handing out pamphlets as per usual, instead he was leaning against a wall, watching a little girl, his sister presumably, running around while singing an eerie song about wicked witches.

Graves made his way stealthily towards the boy, who was either too distracted or too shy to look at the other man.

–Credence Barebone? – asked Graves, careful as to not sound hostile or harsh.

The boy merely nodded, and seemed to made himself smaller.

–My name’s Percival Graves. I’m Porpentina Goldstein’s colleague, do you know her? – he wasn’t sure how to entice the boy into conversation, but if he had trusted Tina maybe he would trust him as well.

Credence nodded again, the wall damp and cool against his clothes.

–Is she alright? – his voice timid and insecure, his eyes now roaming the streets nervously, probably worried about being seen talking to a stranger.

–Yes, yes, she is. – as much as he wanted to help this poor boy, Graves was finding it hard to talk to someone who wouldn’t even meet his eye. – Credence, I know about your… situation. I want to help you, I really do. Will you please look at me, dear boy?

Credence turned around, albeit unsure, to face the older man. He was closer than what was considered socially aceptable, but not terribly so. His brows were strong and his mouth firm. Credence had seen him before, always dressed sharply, his face severe yet attractive.

–Sorry, Mr. Graves – Credence felt trapped, encaged by this man’s presence. He knew he shouldn’t be here; Mother was probably waiting for him back home, the skies were getting darker and he had lost his sister among the other passerbys.

–No need to apologize, boy. If you need help, then I’ll try my best to give it to you. – Graves was aware of the closeness between their bodies but he couldn’t give a damn, not when the alternative was someone overhearing their conversation.

–Don’t worry, sir. I wouldn’t want to cause you any trouble – Credence hated being a burden to others, especially since his mother would remind him almost everyday of how much she was giving him while receiving nothing in return.

–Nonsense. –and then Graves put a hand on the boy’s shoulder, uncertain if the touch was out of place. –Anyway, I’m only going to be checking on you every day or so to ensure your safety. Now, there’s something we need to get out in the open. That time Mrs. Goldstein protected you, she did something. Do you know what I’m refering to, Credence?

The boy shaked his head negatively, almost frantically so.

–No, no. I don’t know anything, sir. If Mother knew, she-

–I know you aren’t oblivious to the supernatural nature of some… -

–Please, don’t, sir. If she hears– the boy was shaking now, begging for Graves not to talk about it, whatever _it_ was. He would be punished, again. If Mother knew, only in the slightest, about this encounter she’d go mad, she’d lock him up only letting him out to strike him with the belt leaving ugly bruises and bloody wounds that would take too much to heal. His breathing grew quicker and his heart was hammering his ribs inside his chest.

–Shhh, boy! It’s fine, we don’t have to talk about it. Do you hear me, Credence? It’s all fine – and then Graves’ right hand was barely cupping Credence’s cheek, the boy leaning into the touch, eyes closed, body trembling.

It was a few seconds or even minutes before Graves became aware of their position, not recollecting entirely how they’d ended up like this, but not really wanting to deprive the boy of comfort.

Percival Graves wasn’t a physically affectionate man either. Never was he the one to provide comfort by touching others, in truth he prefered keeping his distance; yet he couldn’t help but lean closer to Credence, to press his palm a little harder but still gentle, to rub his thumb over the boy’s smooth skin, to hush him and call him _dear boy,_ and assure him everything was going to be alright _._

Percival didn’t know what had gotten into him but the fact remained that he needed to protect Credence at all costs. He knew the risk of anyone seeing them together as they were right now. It wasn’t precisely _normal_ , but then again no-majs were against wizardry as well.

–I’ll take care of you, Credence. – his chin now placed atop Credence’s head as he felt the boy sobbing. Graves wanted to ask what exactly was wrong, not that the boy’s life was easy as it was but there seemed to be something _more_ to it.

And then Credence flinched, his spine going rigid.

_My momma, your momma, witches never cry!_

–I need to leave– it was little more than a whisper, and then the Barebone boy was gone, and Percival Graves was left alone in a darkened alley wondering what the hell he had gotten himself into.

**Author's Note:**

> I will go down in sin for this ship. If you have requests I'd be more than happy to comply.   
> Follow me on tumblr: [ elvishflower! ](http://elvishflower.tumblr.com/)


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